Musical toy



United States Patent 3,094,808 MUSICAL TOY John P. Medlock, Rte. 2, Taylors, S.C. Filed July 12, 1961, Ser. No. 123,567 3 Claims. (Cl. 46-175) The present invention relates to a musical toy for children and more particularly to a new and novel toy which is attached to the foot of a child and emits musical sounds by means of air passing over a musical reed as the child walks or dances with the toy attached to his foot.

In prior construction of noise making or musical toys which were designed to be attached to the feet of children, it has been customary to produce the noise or sound by causing two opposing surfaces to be struck together or by causing a metal strip to be snapped from one position to another. These prior constructions are disadvantageous in that any noise or sound produced is of a sharp piercing nature that is unpleasant to the ear. They are also disadvantageous in that the noise or sound producing elements thereof are subjected to extreme degrees of wear and are thus of short life due to the stress and strain which they are required to undergo.

According to the present invention it has now been found that amusical sound or noise may be produced that is pleasant to the ear and does not require the imposition of undue stress and strain upon the elements producing said musical sounds.

It is accordingly a primary object of the present invention to provide a foot attached toy which produces pleasant musical sounds as the wearer moves or dances about.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a toy that is attractive in appearance and whose parts are all made of plastic except for one metal spring and whose parts are not subjected to undue stress and strain in-operation.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a toy which is composed of simple parts which are not subject to destructive forces during the operation of the toy.

\It is still another object of the present invention to provide a foot attached toy with means thereon to prevent slipping of a childs foot during use of the toy.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a toy composed of elements easily manufactured and fabricated and which are simple to assemble so as to provide an inexpensive and attractive toy for children.

It is still another object of the invention to provide a simple and inexpensive toy of few moving parts which will provide many hours of pleasure and enjoyment to the user without suffering any appreciable wear and tear to the toy itself.

These and further objects and advantages of the invention Will become more apparent upon reference to the following specification, claims and appended drawings wherein:

FIGURE. 1 is a vertical sectional View of one of the new and novel toys taken on line 1-1 o-f'FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the toy of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of the toy of FIGURES 1 and 2; and

FIGURE 4 is an elevational view in section along line 44 of FIGURE 1 with parts broken away.

The embodiment of the invention as shown in the attached drawings comprises a musical can '2 of generally cylindrical shape. The can 2 is made up of two hard plastic, generally cylindrical, open-ended, can-like sections 4 and 6, the upper section 6 being slightly larger than the lower section 4 and fitting thereover in a sliding relationship to form an airtight cavity or compartment.

The lower can-like section 4 comprises a base section 8 and a cylindrical wall section 10 extending therefrom and 3,094,808 Patented June 25, 1963 ice forming a cavity 16 with the base 8. At the free end of the wall section =10 and integral therewith on the exterior side thereof is formed a circumferential locking ring 12 with a beveled face 14 which extends downwardly toward the base 8 and away from the cavity 16 formed by the base 8 and wall 10.. Formed integrally with the base section 8 and extending in the same direction as the wall 10 are a plurality of circumferentially spaced lugs, two of which are indicated at 18 and 20 for a purpose more fully described hereafter.

The upper can-like section -6 comprises a base section 22 and a cylindrical wall 24 depending from one side 25 thereof and forming a cavity "30. -At the free end of the wall section 24 and on the interior side thereof and integral therewith is formed a circumferential locking ring 26 with a beveled face 28 which extends upwardly toward the base 22 and toward the interior of the cavity 30 formed by the base 22 and wall 24. Lug elements such as 32 and 34, similar to the lug elements 18 and 20, are formed integrally with the base 22 and extend therefrom in the same direction as the wall 24. These lug elements are so positioned that they will retain coil spring 52 in proper position within the sections 4 and 6.

From the opposite side 27 of the base 22 extend two flexible flap portions 36 and 38 of reduced cross-section formed integral with the base 22 and also of plastic. These flap portions are each provided with at least two eyelets or holes 40 to receive shoestrings 40 or the like for the purpose of securing the assembled musical can 2 to the foot of the child using the same. To aid in the secure ment and safety of the device in use, the upper surface 27 of the base 22 is provided with serrations or grooves 42 to provide a non-slip surface for the wearer of the musical can.

In the upper right-hand corner of section 6 is a housing 33. At approximately the center of the housing 33 is an aperture 44 in which is secured the end of a musical reed 46 of a common type employed in whistles and the like. Adjacent the free end of the reed is an aperture through the wall 24 and of larger size than the aperture 44. The aperture 50 constitutes the only substantial pas sage for air from within the musical can 2 to the atmosphere when the can 2 is in its assembled posit-ion. The housing 33 forms an air chamber 48 about the reed 46 on the interior of the upper section 6 so that the air which passes from the interior of the can 2 in its assembled position through the aperture 50 must first pass through the smaller aperture 44 and over the free end of the musical reed 46.

When the upper can section 6 in its assembled position with lower can section 4. as shown in FIGURE 1, the locking ring 26 of the upper section has passed over the locking ring 12 of the lower section and has engaged the wall 10 of the lower section 4. The beveled surfaces 14 and 28 of the locking rings 12. and 26, together with the inherent resiliency of the walls 10 and 24, facilitate the assembly of the two sections 4 and 6.

Iuterposed between and in contact with the opposing surfaces of the base sections 8 and 22 is a metal compression spring 52. The spring 52 is held in place between the previously mentioned lug elements 18 and 20 of the lower section 4 and lug elements 32 and 34 of the upper section 6. The spring 52, in assembled position, exerts a constant force which tends to keep the upper section 6 and the lower section 4 separated. The extent of the separation is limited by the interengaigement of the two locking rings 12 and 26.

It will thus be readily apparent that, as a child walks or dances about with one of the musical cans attached to his foot, he will overcome the force exerted by the spring 52 and cause the wall 24 of the upper section 6 to slide down the wall 10 of the lower section 8, thus forcing air out of the interior of the musical can 2 through the aperture 44, over the musical reed 46 and out through aperture 50. It is this forced air, as it passes over the musical reed 46, which produces the musical sounds. With practice, a child can learn to produce musical tunes with one of these new and novel musical cans. The only contact made between the parts making up the body of the can is the sliding relationship between the walls and 24 of the sections 4 and 6, respectively, and the interlock contact made between the locking rings 12 and 26.

If desired, the toy can be formed of other material such as metal or wood and flaps 36 and 38 may be made of fabric or other suitable flexible material.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that a new and novel toy made up of simple, inexpensive and easily assembled parts, made entirely of plastic except for the metal spring, and which is not subject to undue or unnecessary stress and strain in use and which provides musical sounds during its use has been provided by the present invention.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiment is therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by United States Letters Patent is:

l. A musical toy for attachment to the foot of the user comprising a lower cylinder having an open upper end, an upper cylinder having an open lower end telescopically received over said open end of said lower cylinder, a pair of engaging locking rings respectively formed on said cylinders for limiting the outward telescoping movement thereof, a coiled compression spring resiliently urging apart said cylinders, a pair of flexible flaps secured to the upper edges of said upper cylinder, said upper cylinder including a roughened top surface, said flaps including spaced eyelets for receiving a shoelace so that said musical toy may be releasably connected to the users foot, an aperture formed in said upper cylinder said aperture forming the only substantial air passage between the interior and the exterior of said cylinders, a housing in said upper cylinder adjacent said aperture, said housing defining a chamber communicating with said aperture, an air passage connecting the interior of said cylinders with said chamber, and a vibratory tone generating reed mounted in said chamber and positioned in front of said aperture so that when a compression force is applied to said cylinders air is driven from said cylinders through said aperture by way of said reed so as to generate an audible tone.

2. A musical toy for producing audible tones as the user moves about with the toy attached to his foot, comprising:

a lower section having an open upper end and a closed lower end; an upper section having an open lower end and a closed upper end; said open lower end of said upper section telescopically receiving said open upper end of said lower section; locking means for limiting the outward movement of said telescoping sections; first lug means formed on the inner surface of said closed lower end of said lower section; second lug means formed on the inner surface of said closed upper end of said upper section; spring means positioned within said telescoping sections and having its ends respectively engaging said first and second lug means for resiliently urging apart said telescoping sections; a shoelace; a pair of flaps secured to said upper section and each including spaced eyelets for threadably receiving said shoelace so that said musical toy may be releasably attached to the users foot; an aperture formed in said upper section; a vibratory tone generating reed mounted adjacent to the inner surface of said upper section and being positioned in front of said aperture so that when a compression force is applied to said telescoping sections air is forced through said aperture causing said reed to vibrate so as to generate an audible tone.

3. A musical toy for producing audible tones as the user moves about with the toy attached to his foot, comprising: a lower cylinder having an open upper end and a closed lower end; an upper cylinder having an open lower end and a closed upper end; said open lower end of said upper cylinder telescopically receiving said open upper end of said lower cylinder; said open lower end of said upper cylinder having a first circumferential locking ring formed thereon; said open upper end of said lower cylinder having a second circumferential locking ring formed thereon; said first locking ring extending under said second locking ring and engaging the outer surface of said lower cylinder and said second locking ring extending over said first locking ring and engaging the inner surface of said upper cylinder; said first and second locking rings limiting the outward movement of said telescoping cylinders; first lug means formed on the inner surface of said closed lower end of said lower cylinder; second lug means formed on the inner surface of said closed upper end of said upper cylinder; a coiled compression spring positioned within said telescoping cylinders and having its ends respectively engaging said first and second lug means for resiliently urging apart said telescoping cylinders; a pair of flaps secured to the outer surface of said upper cylinder and each including spaced eyelets; a shoelace threadably engaging said spaced eyelets of each of said flaps for releasably attaching said musical toy to the users foot; an aperture formed in said upper cylinder; a vibratory tone generating reed mounted adjacent to the inner surface of: said upper cylin der and being positioned in front of said aperture so that when a compression force is applied to said telescoping cylinders air is forced through said aperture causing said reed to vibrate so as to generate an audible tone.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,769,251 Bocchino July 1, 1930 2,504,541 Lawson Apr. 18, 1950 2,551,680 Kipling May 8, 1951 

2. A MUSICAL TOY FOR PRODUCING AUDIBLE TONES AS THE USER MOVES ABOUT WITH THE TOY ATTACHED TO HIS FOOT, COMPRISING: A LOWER SECTION HAVING AN OPEN UPPER END AND A CLOSED LOWER END; AN UPPER SECTION HAVING AN OPEN LOWER END AND A CLOSED UPPER END; SAID OPEN LOWER END OF SAID UPPER SECTION TELESCOPICALLY RECEIVING SAID OPEN UPPER END OF SAID LOWER SECTION; LOCKING MEANS FOR LIMITING THE OUTWARD MOVEMENT OF SAID TELESCOPING SECTIONS; FIRST LUG MEANS FORMED ON THE INNER SURFACE OF SAID CLOSED LOWER END OF SAID LOWER SECTION; SECOND LUG MEANS FORMED ON THE INNER SURFACE OF SAID CLOSED UPPER END OF SAID UPPER SECTION; SPRING MEANS POSITIONED WITHIN SAID TELESCOPING SECTIONS AND HAVING ITS ENDS RESPECTIVELY ENGAGING SAID FIRST AND SECOND LUG MEANS FOR RESILIENTLY URGING APART SAID TELESCOPING SECTIONS; A SHOELACE; A PAIR OF FLAPS SECURED TO SAID UPPER SECTION AND EACH INCLUDING SPACED EYELETS FOR THREADABLY RECEIVING SAID SHOELACE SO THAT SAID MUSICAL TOY MAY BE RELEASABLY ATTACHED TO THE USER''S FOOT; AN APERTURE FORMED IN SAID UPPER SECTION; A VIBRATORY TONE GENERATING REED MOUNTED ADJACENT TO THE INNER SURFACE OF SAID UPPER SECTION AND BEING POSITIONED IN FRONT OF SAID APERTURE SO THAT WHEN A COMPRESSION FORCE IS APPLIED TO SAID TELESCOPING SECTIONS AIR IS FORCED THROUGH SAID APERTURE CAUSING SAID REED TO VIBRATE SO AS TO GENERATE AN AUDIBLE TONE. 